The Crowley Post Herald Crowley, Louisiana Friday, October 22, 1971 - Page 8
Fischer Strategy Makes Russian Chessmen Sick After Eight Games
Buenos Aires (AP)—The chess game scheduled Thursday afternoon between Tigran Petrosian of the Soviet Union and Bobby Fischer of the United States has been postponed until Sunday because of Petrosian's exhausted condition.
The Argentine Chess Federation said a Doctor examined the 42-year-old Soviet grand master and said he should rest for at least 48 hours.
It would have been the eighth game in the 12-game match to decide who will meet world champion Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union next spring for the title.
Fischer, 28, has won three games, including the last two, while Petrosian has only one victory. The other three games ended in draws.
Fischer's victories in the last two games left Petrosian visibly depressed and gave the American a commanding lead of four and a half. A total of six and a half points are needed to win the match, with a win counting one point and draws a half point each.
The games had been scheduled for Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursday through Oct. 31, but the postponement of the eighth game could now extend the match to Tuesday, Nov. 2.
The postponement was no novelty for the brilliant young American.
Each of Fischer's previous opponents in the current series of matches had postponed a game after several defeats.
Mark Taimanov of the Soviet Union had lost three games in a row to Fischer in Vancouver lat May when he asked for time off. He was examined by a physician who stated he had high blood pressure.
The identical symptom was detected in Bent Larsen of Denmark after losing four games in succession in Denver in July.
In each case, Fischer moved right ahead after the postponement, ending each engagement with a perfect 6-0 score, part of his fantastic winning streak which finally reached 20 straight games.
Fischer, in an interview some time ago, was asked by a Soviet journalist to comment on a report that as a youngster he used to cry after a defeat.
“That is not true,” replied Fischer. “But one thing I can say. When a Russian loses, he does not cry. He gets sick.”
